Vol. 7  No. 67                                         WE COVER THE WORLD                                                            Monday June 23, 2008

Air Cargo China Hot & Not


Looking for a trade show as stylish as itself—Emirates SkyCargo boothstravaganza debuted in Shanghai last week and stole the show. Next stop is TIACA Kuala Lumpur later this year.

     That big and highly anticipated air cargo industry trade show put up by Transport Logistic called Air Cargo China (ACC) that took place last week in Shanghai, June 17-19 at Shanghai New International Expo Center “was a complete bomb,” according to one attendee who contacted Air Cargo News FlyingTypers.
     “Attendance of regular air cargo people in and out of the market was not there,” the source said.
     While reluctant to point the finger at everyday Chinese people, one big display booth exhibitor at the show was furious.
     “In an apparent attempt to balance attendance between professional and regular people it appears that they (trade show organizer) or others opened up the flood gates to swarms of people who had nothing to do with air cargo that arrived with shopping bags, looking for airline handouts,” the source added.
     “It was a gang-bang melee, with flower arrangements and even personal papers gone missing as a result.
     “We had exactly six bonafide people visit our booth.
     “I did not travel half the world for that kind of audience delivery.
     “Too bad, because these people (Transport Logistic) really have a class multi-modal show, among the best in the world every other year that is held in Munich, Germany,” the source concluded.
     Thinking about trade shows, what works in the business culture of Europe & America, the Middle East and elsewhere, may not work in China and other parts of the world.
     China commercial encounters most often occur face to face, in an office or over dinner, not on a trade show floor.
     In China, the trade show venue is viewed as an overture at best.
     So maybe the long-term benefit of Air Cargo China cannot be accurately measured against prior trade show experiences and should not be concluded at this point.
     Air Cargo News FlyingTypers was unable to secure a visa to cover ACC despite applying as instructed by Transport Logistic China.
     We supposed that either recent happenings in Tibet or issues pertaining to overwhelming requests for credentials to the upcoming Summer Olympics had contributed to our inability to get a visa.
     But then we learned that some exhibitors and other attendees from commercial air cargo companies had similar difficulty.
     We were told of one company securing China visa credentials through less than legitimate means as officials were allegedly paid off to gain entry into China.
     But back to the larger issue here, delivery of audience as promised has been met with similar comment in many sectors:
     “We will not come again,” was what we were told repeatedly by attendees and exhibitors.
     The ACC debacle, as the first event of its kind to be held post runaway fuel costs, may also be indication of what lies ahead for trade shows during the remainder of 2008 and beyond.
     Exhibitors and attendees will have a very low tolerance for marginal return when spending hard-earned money, especially now with downward pressures from fuel and security and business in general.
 
Pictured at a recent trade show are (left to right) Ram Menen, Bill Boesch and Prakash Nair.    

     But where some might have decided Air Cargo China was the trade show from hell, others were of a differing opinion.
     It was a good show,” said Ram Menen DSVP of Emirates SkyCargo, “compact, well-timed and efficient.”
     Prakash Nair, Manager Network Cargo Sales Development, Emirates Airlines had a completely opposing take as well.
     “When Emirates attends a trade show we invite all of our local and regional people to attend and bring their customers and we host them.
     “These trade shows require preparation and that includes setting up the market for the event.
     “As to big crowds, we anticipate that too and just batten down the hatches, getting very selective with our promotional items.
     “In truth, Shanghai was not an exception to the big crowd problem.
     “That can happen anywhere and often does.”
     SkyCargo by the way dominated ACC, with their show stopping, brand new dominator multi-storied display stand that will be on view later this year at TIACA in Kuala Lumpur.
     Another attendee said, “they (the show) asked us to come to the “gala” closing night banquet.
     “We went out for soup dumplings and waited on line with other hard-working people who demand value for money.
     “Enough is enough.”
Geoffrey